Prevention
Information on protecting your home from burglary
The following advice from police.uk details just a few steps that can make a big difference in keeping your home safe from burglary:
- Lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when you're just out in the garden, remembering to double-lock UPVC doors (lift handle and turn key).
- Hide all keys, including car keys, out of sight and away from the letterbox (remember a device could be used to hook keys through the letterbox).
- Install a visual burglar alarm and good outside lighting.
- Get a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on your property.
- Leave radios or lights in your house on a timer to make the property appear occupied.
- Make sure the fences around your garden are in good condition.
- Secure bikes at home by locking them to an immoveable object inside a locked shed or garage.
- Keep ladders and tools stored away; don't leave them outside where they could be used to break into your home.
- Ensure side gates are locked to prevent access to the rear of the property and rear fencing is in good repair.
- Improve natural surveillance at the front of your property i.e. trim high hedges.
- Mark your property with postcode and house number and register your property for free with Immobilise (opens in a new window)
- Consider joining or forming a Neighbourhood Watch scheme (opens in a new window)
- Remove valuables from view of ground floor windows and store high value items (i.e. jewellery, passports) in a properly secured safe or bank vault.
You can find more information about protecting your home from burglary on Thames Valley Police's website